Iowa Homelessness Trends

Data is displayed for every county that reports to the Iowa Institute for Community Alliances. This data represents totals from the Iowa Institute for Community Alliances' live database. While the data reflects homelessness trends in Iowa, it will not be an exact match to previous reports. Iowans can be served as part of a family and as an individual throughout the year and can also be served in both transitional housing and emergency shelter.

About the Iowa Council on Homelessness

The Iowa Council on Homelessness was created in 2003 and codified in 2008. The Council is made up of 38 voting members from across the
state, including representatives of state and local governments, nonprofits, advocates and homeless or formerly homeless individuals. The
Council members work to identify issues, raise awareness and secure resources that will allow all homeless Iowans to become self-sufficient.
The Council is charged with providing an annual report on the state of homelessness in Iowa to the Governor. The Iowa Finance Authority is
the administering agency for the Council.

Iowa's Homelessness Assistance Programs at Work

“In April of 2010, I was homeless, living out of a borrowed car with nowhere to go. My agency found me a place to live,
assisted me financially to get into my apartment and supplied me with furniture. I was able to get a new job, thanks to their
referral, and within a month I was hired on full-time. I could not have done that without the help given to me by my agency.”

Upper Des Moines Opportunities

Mr. J is a 56-year-old man who was laid off after a few months at his new job, and he didn’t have enough recent work credits to
qualify for unemployment benefits. After his doctor referred him to Iowa Legal Aid, he was referred to emergency rent assistance
to prevent him from becoming homeless. Mr. J was able to remain in his home and the agency assisted him in finding a job. Mr. J
now has a job and has moved into an affordable apartment for seniors.

Council Bluffs, Iowa

“I was given three days to vacate my house and I had nowhere else to go. By 11:30 that same morning, I had met with a landlord and been approved for assistance. Without this assistance, I dread where I could have possibly been today. I was able to pay all of my bills, without assistance, and I start a new full-time job this week—a first for me in over a year.”